FG to Scrap Common Entrance Exams, Introduce Student Tracking System Nationwide

The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled plans to abolish the Junior Secondary School Common Entrance Examination and introduce a nationwide student tracking system using unique identification numbers.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the proposed reforms during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, stating that the initiative is aimed at improving access to education and monitoring students’ academic progress across the country.

Under the new policy, the common entrance examination will be replaced with a Continuous Assessment (CA) system. This approach will track pupils’ performance from primary school and allow their academic records to follow them even when they transfer between schools.

Alausa explained that the reform seeks to address a major gap in Nigeria’s education system, particularly the significant drop in enrolment between primary and junior secondary levels.

Government data shows that while over 23 million pupils attend more than 50,000 public primary schools, only about 3 million transition into junior secondary school within the public system—leaving millions of children unaccounted for.

To improve oversight, the government plans to introduce a Learner Identification Number (LIN) for every child starting from primary school. This unique ID will remain with each student throughout their educational journey, regardless of location or school changes.

The system is expected to enable authorities to track student progress and quickly identify dropouts, making it easier to investigate and address barriers to education.

The minister also stressed the need for state governments to invest in building more schools to accommodate increasing demand, noting that private institutions cannot absorb the large number of out-of-school children.

Additionally, the government plans to revive the school feeding programme and place it under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education to improve its effectiveness in boosting enrolment and retention.

The reforms form part of broader efforts to strengthen the education system, reduce dropout rates, and ensure more children complete basic education in Nigeria.